Which incident halted diplomatic negotiations when the US was asked for a bribe in 1787?

In 1787, the incident that significantly interrupted diplomatic negotiations due to a bribery request from French agents is known as the XYZ affair. This situation arose when American diplomats were sent to France to negotiate and ease tensions resulting from the French Revolutionary Wars. Instead of straightforward diplomatic discussions, they were approached by intermediaries who demanded substantial bribes and loans to begin negotiations, which caused outrage and led to a significant public and political backlash in the United States.

The XYZ affair had profound implications for U.S. foreign policy, heightening anti-French sentiment and contributing to the Quasi-War, an undeclared naval conflict between the United States and France. It showcased the complexities of international diplomacy and the challenges that the young American government faced in its foreign relations. The other incidents mentioned, while they may also pertain to diplomatic relations, do not involve a similar context of bribery leading to a crisis in diplomacy during this period.